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![Show Contents]() Fossay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England France
Early Origins of the Fossay familyThe surname Fossay was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Doncaster at Nigel and Robert Fossard who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Early History of the Fossay familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fossay research. Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fossay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Fossay Spelling VariationsThe English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Fossay has been recorded under many different variations, including Fossard, Fossart, Fozzard, Fossie, Fossey, Fosser and others. Early Notables of the Fossay familyMore information is included under the topic Early Fossay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Fossay migration to the United States | + |
To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Fossays were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:
Fossay Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Pedro Fossay, aged 25, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1842 2
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
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Fossay migration to the United States 
